"We feel like God calls us to be joyful in the work that we're doing, no matter what we're doing. [...]
A lot of people fear Christians, they fear Liberty University, they fear Invisible Children - because they feel like we have an agenda. They see us and they go, "You want me to sign up for something, you want my money. You want, you want me to believe in your God." And it freaks them out."

--- Jason Russell, speaking at Liberty University, November 7, 2011
Is Invisible Children a nonprofit devoted to human needs, or is it a ministry devoted to bringing souls to Jesus ? Judging by a talk co-founder Jason Russell gave last November at Liberty University, it would seem to be a bit of both.

3. I think I agree with you...

... based on what I know about it - and admittedly that's limited to headline scanning and the LO interview last night. But, I think this is kinda what organized religion is supposed to do. And if it keeps them busy and out of my government, I'm all for it.

11. I guess churches are people too. nt

14. and what idology if fueling Kony?

I don't have a problem with people who are self professed christians doing positive things.

Kony uses religion, a twisted version of christianity to justify what he is doing. I don't hear Invisible Children saying they are on a mission from god, but rather on a mission to stop the madness that children are being dragged into and sacrificed on the altar of Kony's vision god.

Where is the 100% pure agnostic group who is putting the effort into this cause??? If they are out there, they haven't been very effective.

19. This is FASCINATING to me

The firestorm and backlash to Kony 2012 is, to me, worthy of exploration and study in and of itself.

I understand much of the criticism, including the charge that they have oversimplified a complicated situation.

Well, to me, ALL situations are complicated. It's nearly impossible to get everyone on the same page as to how to resolve any of the heinous situations and injustices being perpetuated around the world, and in our own country. So, to me, raising the subject for discussion in a big way is the very first step. People can't debate the merits of a problem or solution until they're aware of it.

They've succeeded in that regard, because people sure are talking about it.

The other criticism is the immediate charge about them as a nonprofit (here is their response to many of the charges).

I'm the last one to follow an issue or organization blindly, and I am very hesitant to ever encourage others to donate anywhere, certainly not until they have researched an organization on their own.

Yet one of the things I find fascinating about this particular Kony 2012 firestorm is that I saw, pretty much immediately, people being focused on "beware - don't give this group money!"

The thing is, they weren't asking for money. The focus of this campaign is to share the video and raise awareness; it was never about asking people for money. Jason Russell was on Lawrence O'Donnell last night saying that all the materials are available for download for free, that this hasn't been at its core a fundraising effort, it's an awareness raising effort. Of course, they're not going to turn down donations, but when I saw the video I absolutely did NOT come away feeling I needed to donate nor did I feel bad about not being able to do so. I came away simply wanting to share the video and to allow others to decide their interest from there.

Granted, I realize how they are attempting to raise awareness (facts, figures, style of the approach, etc.) is something many seem to disagree with. But raise awareness is exactly what they're doing, even if it's in the form of debate and critique.

But the fact that so many were so quick to dismiss the entire campaign and, rather than focus on and discuss the complexities of the issue itself, they quickly turned away entirely and -- more importantly, encouraged OTHERS to turn away. THAT is what has been fascinating to me.

I realize this is a very judgmental statement but, based on what I've witnessed over my life, not only about Kony 2012 but any other campaign (not at DU necessarily but just in general), there are certain people who, for whatever reason, are more focused on tearing something down rather than focus on the issue itself and then work to find the positives in the effort, aspects that can be agreed upon in order to work together with others of like mind to approach the issue in a way they agree with.

When it comes to huge issues, humans simply can't agree. But rather than take the subject matter being raised, whether it's about child soldiers or homelessness here in the US, efforts are criticized to an extraordinary degree, questioning the integrity of nearly every organization trying to work to improve situations.

I'm skeptical, too, and I will always do my due diligence in researching organizations and companies and the issues themselves. Many have less than honorable intentions; many started off with good, honorable intentions, got big and got corrupt to varying degrees.

Yet what I see all too often is that those who are inclined to be apathetic use the extreme criticism that inevitably arises in this 24/7 media age as an excuse to continue to hide their heads in the sand.

"It's all too complicated, we can't do anything, we'll just make it worse."

That's what many people take away from it, so I can understand why IC felt that as simplified approach as possible will at least get people engaged. What is to be done once people are paying attention is another matter. But that is always the first step.

I saw people, many for the first time (of all ages), interested in what was going on as it concerned Uganda, yet as soon as the HUGE backlash took over, they quickly said, screw it; the organization and the mission itself must be a huge scam.

When I read this OP the first time, I cringed. I cringe any time I see Liberty University or Bob Jones University mentioned, for the same reasons many of you cringe. And I was also a bit sick to my stomach to consider that this was some sort of covert evangelical conversion mission.

But then I saw what Jason said. And even though some of the verbiage made me uncomfortable because I'm surrounded by thumpers, I stepped back from my own narrow-mindedness and looked at it again. Perhaps he is a Christian and the words came naturally to him; perhaps he used verbiage that resonated with his audience, as most speakers do.

As he said, IC has a two-pronged approach: to reduce human rights abuses abroad, and to empower young people here in the States to realize they can affect the world in a positive way.

Students are their audience here; they have Invisible Children student organizations in many high schools around the country.

And I realized THAT was what his message was about. About the knee-jerk perceptions we all make that prevent further discourse.

I didn't see him encouraging evangelizing, encouraging the Liberty students to (or others who go on mission trips, for example) convert others to their faith. What I saw him talk about was saying how they can live their faith (those who believe in the "teachings of Jesus&quot, and to do so without judgment and expectation.

We're always saying thumpers need to be less hypocritical and actually live the teachings of Christ when they interact with others, especially those who are suffering in some way. I heard this Jason guy deliver that same message in a very smooth way, actually.

We're all looking at one another, making judgments, assuming we know the agendas (which are always nefarious or at least against our principles), and the bottom line is that WE DON'T DO ANYTHING TO MAKE THINGS BETTER.

We don't tackle the root causes of the issues because they're so friggin complicate; apathy takes over for most people, and frustration and fatigue take over for activists.

We don't make tremendous strides to alleviate the suffering as we simultaneously tackle the root causes, because the efforts to reduce suffering are attacked as NOT FIXING THE CORE PROBLEM.

I'm weird in that I'm not as focused on the uber specifics of this campaign -- Kony -- but the implications of it for the myriad issues the world faces.

To me, the basic things being discussed now concerning this Kony campaign -- geopolitical issues, the root causes that lead to such crimes and injustices, who intervenes, how and for what motive/intention -- pertain to every major issue we face in this world.

How to address the root causes to prevent the horrors and injustices, while simultaneously working to alleviate the existing suffering now -- yet doing so in a just, not charitable/condescending manner -- are huge issues that lie at the heart of nearly ever well-intentioned campaign and the criticisms of it.

Well, that's my perception, at least. But to at least begin the discussion about issues is the very first step, imho.

The habit for the naysayers to take over and totally subvert discussion about the issue itself -- because they're so focused on dissecting and bringing down the messenger -- is very destructive, imho.

Again, I'm not advocating blindly following anyone or any organization, but it just seems to me that the extraordinary backlash to this unprecedented social media campaign is starting to cause discussion to now veer away from the issue at hand and instead be focused on Invisible Children, resulting in more apathy and immobilization.

It seems the issue can be discussed more intelligently and with more voices while some continue to express why they're concerned with Invisible Children and/or their approach with Kony 2012.

It doesn't have to be one or the other. Just as it doesn't have to be one or the other -- a focus on the root cause of an issue or a focus on alleviating the current suffering -- as it concerns any problem.

We have the capacity to do both, but we inevitably shoot our collective selves in the foot with the EXTREME skepticism and criticism.

25. Great post, very thought-provoking, you should consider posting it as an OP. nt

37. A good read.

My daughter is an international studies major with a concentration in African studies. She hates the campaign because it oversimplifies and leads people to believe and become aware of all the wrong problems. She sees Kony as a symptom of much bigger problems there. I tend to agree with her but know she has a much deeper knowledge than I.

20. What's the point of getting rid of Kony?

Someone else will just take his place. He has a second in command... and a third and a fourth and so on. Invisible children also uses their money to finance arms for groups opposed to the groups they dislike. They bought arms for the SPLA, a group that has been noted to commit the same crimes that Kony is accused of. Rape, looting, child soldiers. So if you want to support rape, and things of that nature, please donate to Invisible Children. Even then, 69% of your money is lining the pockets of the three founders.

23. Forget Invisible Children and Kony...

In response to your subject line, "What's the point of getting rid of Kony, someone else will just take his place," are there any efforts regarding this issue -- within Uganda or otherwise -- you would support?

Do you have any thoughts or ideas, or are there people you are inclined to listen to who are offering thoughts or ideas toward a solution?

24. The LRA is not just Joseph Kony. I'd support a strategy similar to what was done with the IRA.

Open up negotiations with the LRA and find a solution that both sides can agree on. Kony is not just rounding up kids because he thinks its fun to run around with guns in the jungle. His organization has goals, find a way to reasonable satisfy some of those goals and he'll stop.

26. Thanks for the reply.

35. Are you serious?

The LRA is nothing like the IRA. Moreover, there have been negotiations with the LRA in the past and it doesn't result in lasting peace. His organization has insane goals and can't be negotiated with. Squash Joseph Kony and his top deputies and it will disintegrate.

39. No, I don't support negotiating with a murderous milita...

...that has waged a brutal insurgency and repeatedly broken peace agreements. I'm not anti-violence, I'm anti-ignorance. I'm not a pacifist, I just believe in skillful use of means and in responsibility, and I believe violence should be avoided whenever possible. I see no glory in war, but I see no humanity in caving to monsters. Have you done any research at all into the LRA and the IRA? If you had, you would not make the comparison.

Don't project on me bro...Also, reasonable people can come to reasonable agreements - but negotiating with the LRA is not reasonable.

28. I find all this Kony stuff to be strange.

These sort of things have been going on for years, and just now people are starting to rally so strongly against this? And against only one guy at that (there's plenty more where Kony comes from). I just can't help but feel the video to be emotionally manipulative, and that there are some ulterior motives at work. I suppose it doesn't hurt to raise awareness, but it just seems like this is a way to fool people into wanting military intervention in Africa.

It just seems like something the UN should deal with in my opinion. It's not that I'm against a concerted effort against Kony, or others like him, but is he even in Uganda anymore? Uganda has been saying this is old news, and that he's not even in their country anymore, so I just don't really know.

I've been seeing and hearing lots of people say how the video is inspirational, and makes them think. That's a good thing I suppose, as it seems to make more people (younger ones especially) more politically involved. It also seems to have made people more sympathetic with left wing beliefs I guess... which is also good. President Obama could definitely score political points off this, and he seems to have already, at least on some capacity.

I just wish this energy could be focused towards the root of the problem, and other problems that plague the world and this country, without that energy being exploited for personal gain and other ulterior motives. That's just me though.

29. "Invisible Children Inc. — is an extremely shady nonprofit"

On Kony 2012: I honestly wanted to stay as far away as possible from KONY 2012, the latest fauxtivist fad sweeping the web (remember “change your Facebook profile pic to stop child abuse”?), but you clearly won’t stop sending me that damn video until I say something about it, so here goes:

Stop sending me that video.

The organization behind Kony 2012 — Invisible Children Inc. — is an extremely shady nonprofit that has been called ”misleading,” “naive,” and “dangerous” by a Yale political science professor, and has been accused by Foreign Affairs of “manipulat[ing] facts for strategic purposes.” They have also been criticized by the Better Business Bureau for refusing to provide information necessary to determine if IC meets the Bureau’s standards.

Additionally, IC has a low two-star rating in accountability from Charity Navigator because they won’t let their financials be independently audited. That’s not a good thing. In fact, it’s a very bad thing, and should make you immediately pause and reflect on where the money you’re sending them is going.

By IC’s own admission, only 31% of all the funds they receive go toward actually helping anyone [pdf]. The rest go to line the pockets of the three people in charge of the organization, to pay for their travel expenses (over $1 million in the last year alone) and to fund their filmmaking business (also over a million) — which is quite an effective way to make more money, as clearly illustrated by the fact that so many can’t seem to stop forwarding their well-engineered emotional blackmail to everyone they’ve ever known.